Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebastian Artz.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved to the US when I was in college for a school exchange. While taking classes at UCLA, I fell in love with the city. Well, I also fell in love with a human, but that’s a different story.
I am very passionate about both photography and film and was thinking about enrolling in film school upon expiration of the free college exchange. The whopping tuition quote I got from UCLA, as a foreign student, quickly put the kibosh on those plans and instead, I had to look for work and commissions.
The magazine industry was still vibrant at the time and I had the good fortune to pick up a steady stream of photography assignments fairly quickly, initially for European and then US magazines. In the beginning, these were mostly portraits of musicians, actors, celebrities.
Campaigns, fashion shoots, and PR commissions followed and eventually, I moved into lifestyle and commercial work for clients worldwide. A few years ago, I started directing commercials, which incidentally closes a circle started years ago.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth road? Hmmm… As I write this down a virus contagion has ravaged the world causing economic destruction on a scale not seen since WWII. What struggle?
Joking aside, I think the only constant for a creative person is change. Even before COVID-19, there have been many challenges along the way. While photography at its core hasn’t changed, the business and the outlets for creative content – be it photography, film, music, literature – have undergone dramatic transformations.
The demise of many print magazines, the extinction of book stores, the nadir and more recent rebirth of the music recording industry, the move to digital streaming, the proliferation of ho-hum content thanks to an explosion of digital platforms: Instagram, Netflix, Spotify, etc. These are some changes I have witnessed.
And there are more to come: Right now we live through an infectious pandemic that appears to threaten the future of cinema. Will people congregate in a dark room to watch films together in the future? Will theater houses even survive the economic crisis to welcome them? What will the live performances of the future look like? What role does photography play in a VR and AR world? These are questions that only the future can answer.
Looking at trends, I think there has been a massive transfer of value, and perhaps, of voice from individual creators and artists to large, digital aggregators that oftentimes distribute millions, or even billions of content servings to a global audience hooked to a constant stream of digital morsels. The Netflix, Instagram, Spotify, and Amazons of the world dominate creativity in a way that makes the singular voice of one individual creator – no matter how high his or her profile – rather insignificant.
It’s a paradoxical development: on one hand it is easier than ever to produce and distribute content. But because of that, it is a lot harder to stand out amongst competing messaging and voices.
However, I’m quite optimistic about the future: There is tremendous, outstanding work out there and there are incredibly talented artists working today, in LA and elsewhere.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a freelance photographer and commercial director. My clients are usually advertising agencies, large companies, record labels, fashion brands, magazines. They have high expectations, sophisticated creative departments, established brands and many options when it comes to hiring talent.
Oftentimes the client has an idea they would like to execute. My job is to enhance, refine, and express that idea as eloquently as possible. On commercial jobs, I see myself as a visual tinkerer that aims to distill the initial idea and capture frames that are original, memorable, while also being relatable and authentic.
For certain clients, I get hired to photograph the print campaigns as well as direct the corresponding films. There are advantages in that and personally, I love it when I get to wear both hats.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I consider myself very lucky to be able to do what I love and for having amazing people in my life: friends, family, clients. My work just wouldn’t be possible without a great team of agents, producers, editors, stylists, models and hard working crew. I am forever thankful for their trust and support.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sebastianartz.com
- Phone: 424-240 9698
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @sebastianartz.com
Image Credit:
Embry Lopez, Alexander Fenyves, Jeff Salomon, Camille Verhaage, Jan Christiansen, Richard Granger
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